Why Congressman Conyers Likes to Blog

Over at BlackProf.com, Congressman John Conyers answers the question on the mind of politicians everywhere, Why Blog?

For me, the internet and blogging serve other purposes that have nothing to do with raising money. For the past five years, I have been frequently approached by voters who wonder why Democrats in Washington don't stand up to the Republican agenda. While this is often a fair criticism, it just as frequently is not. The MSM simply will not report on the actions of a party that lacks the White House or majority control of either house of Congress. Indeed, the same reporters who write that Democrats lack an agenda refuse to write about our legislative proposals no matter the number of press conferences, calls and press releases. Blogging lets me bypass that filter and take my message directly to many voters.

A cautionary thought:

Universally speaking, the experts -- the people who had used the internet so successfully in the Dean campaign -- had one word of caution. So many politicians who were intrigued by the Dean campaign saw the internet as a cash machine and little else. Not only is such a view shortsighted, it is ineffective, as many politicians have seen the internet activists tune them out after the third fund-raising appeal in one week.

Read the rest and then head over to the Conyers Blog.

(Hat tip to Beltway Blogroll.)